Downton Abbey

Have just finished reading "Lady Almina and the real Downton Abbey" by Jane Carnarvon. Tenuous link and cashing on on the TV series, but an interesting book nevertheless.

Thank you for the recommendations, golden and ganja. I shall get the DVD. Looking forward to it.

I didn't realise there was a seperate Scottish STV player. I suppose that is the one I use being 'local' and have never had any problems. BTW the Christmas episode is only 90 mins. without adverts.

We had problems too but started again and after the first 10 minutes of kangaroo hopping, it got better. Very frustrating though

gracesmum I have also had problems with the ITV player in the past. I googled it and then used the Scottish ITV player (always provided the programme has been on in Scotland) - much, much better.

Buy it Bagitha , it's great, the second series was a bit laughable at times, in all the wrong places, the Christmas Special was great.Enjoy

bagitha Yes, you can get Series 1 in Sainsburys for a tenner. I've just sent it to a friend in France as a Christmas present. So frustrating for her to read about it all year, but not be able to get ITV. Series 2 is out for £20. I don't know about the Christmas special, but it was two hours long so I expect they will make a DVD of it. Hope you enjoy it all. At least you will know what we have all been rabbiting on about on this thread.

Everyone is so enthusiastic about this series I'm wondering about buying a DVD so we can watch it too. Should I? Is it on DVD yet?

I watched Downton on ITV player with no adverts and no problems this afternoon. Excellent episode I thought. Pleased to see Master Bates has lost some weight while in prison.

Greetings, just back this evening from fun time with family over Christmas, couldn't wait to watch Downton Abbey on return! It's so much better when you can skip through the ads on a recorded episode.
Thoroughly enjoyed it, there is hope yet for lovely Mr Bates.

It has just taken me over 2 1/2 hours to watch last night's Downton Abbey in ITV player - it is RUBBISH compared to BBCiPlayer! The soundtrack kept cutting back to the beginning while the film went on so there were 2 layers of soundtrack, so I had to stop it, close ITV.com, re-open, resume etc etc etc. I so nearly gave up especially as I knew the "happy ending" fro today;s papers, but felt I had to stick it out to the end. It is 10 to 12 so that's my "early night" gone for a burton. Has anybody else ever had this problem with ITV? May be my laptop perhaps, but I don't feel inclined to try anything else ever again!

Was bought the first series on DVD which I loved. Didn't get the second series due to bad reviews, but now I'm flummoxed - can I watch the Christmas special without having seen the second series? Will it make sense?

Loved it too. A perfect end to an exhausting but enjoyable day....

What did you all think of the Christmas episode? I thought it was the best yet, with a bit of everything.
I loved the fight scene, and thank goodness he saw the light and proposed in the end.
I also loved the way the snow crunched underfoot (was it real?)
Can't wait for a new series.

[Thanks] yogagran

This is a new look for all the familiar characters:

fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8888691/Downton-Abbey-does-disco.html

When will we be paid the royalties for re-writing the script ?

Loved the 'fantasy' article Oldgreymare ...especially liked the Thomas/'Broadwalk Empire' link ...interestingly it missed the whole Sybil/Irish politics link (advocated on here)

But ...think many GNs have a much better imagination for story lines

Methinks whoever writes for the Radio Times has been snooping! See this weeks copy, article 'predicting' Christmas 'special'!!!! Hrmph!

I have to go and lie down.... I have a headache!

And Edith will marry Patrick and have a son, so the heir might be the son of Lord G and the maid (though he would have to get rid of Cora and marry her first), the son of Edith and Patrick or the son of Mary and Matthew - take your pick!
Oh and maybe Jane's husband isn't dead as well....

yoga

That's brilliant notso - when do you start filming?

It is twaddle, but I love it too!

In the next series, I think Matthew and Mary will finally come to their senses and plan to marry....BUT.... the Lord and the maid will continue their liaison, she will give birth to his baby son. The baby becomes heir, disinherits Matthew, and Mary will decide that she doesn't love a poor Matthew as much as she did a rich Matthew, so calls the wedding off.

Meanwhile, Sybil and the chauffeur have a daughter in Ireland, but his political leanings eventually result in his involvement with republican forces and he is killed in the Irish War of Independence.
Sybil and her daughter will return to Downton and eventually, the daughter will grow up and fall in love with the maid's son, without realising that he is her uncle.

One more series won't be enough will it?

He'll come back and sweep Edith off her feet I expect. Sir Richard will lose all his money in the depression and jump off a high building and Mary will elope with Matthew in a horse drawn gypsy caravan with the Dowager in the background muttering "It would never have done in my day!" Bates will stand trial and get off on a technicality and the butler will kill Thomas in a duel and marry the housekeeper! There, Julian Fellowes, if you need anymore ideas, feel free to get in touch! God, what dross it all is (but I'll watch it anyway!)